News and conversation about Sonoma County real estate

406 Lincoln St, Santa Rosa - $479,000
2 beds, 1 bath, 1,155 square feet. Year built: 1925.Exterior. (Photo courtesy of Sotheby's International Realty - Wine Country - East Napa Street Brokerage)
Historic bungalows just look cozy, and those built in the 1920s almost all have fireplaces. Unless the homeowner decided to update the fireplace to a gas insert, they all have wood burning ones. Click to see what this home's fireplace looks like...

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Fireplace. (Photo courtesy of Sotheby's International Realty - Wine Country - East Napa Street Brokerage)
This is most certainly a wood burning fireplace, and more than likely completely original. Scroll to see the next house...

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18419 Old Monte Rio Rd, Guerneville - $420,0003 beds, 2 baths, 1,885 square feet. Year built: 1920.Exterior. (Photo courtesy of RE/MAX Full Spectrum)The front of this house is deceptive - it's actually a three story house, but it's built on a hillside (you can see all three stories when viewing the rear of the home). I wanted to show the front view because you can tell from the soot-stained chimney that there's a wood burning fireplace inside. Click to take a look...

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Fireplace. (Photo courtesy of RE/MAX Full Spectrum)This wood burning stove/insert is an upgrade, great for individuals who use their fireplace a lot but don't have the time to clean it every season. Scroll through to see the next property...

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1531 S Wright Rd, Santa Rosa - $680,000
3 beds, 2 baths, 1,466 square feet. Year built: 1946.Exterior. (Photo courtesy of RE/MAX Pros)
This ranch house in the countryside is on 1.50 acres, which include a chicken and a quail coop. On the back deck is a pile of neatly stacked logs that look like they had more than likely been cut from the surrounding trees. Click to see what a fireplace would look like out in the countryside...

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Fireplace. (Photo courtesy of RE/MAX Pros)
I admit that I wasn't expecting a neatly contained wood burning stove, but considering how much work needs to be done around (even a small) ranch, I concede that this makes a lot of sense. Scroll to get to the next property...

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15359 Willow Road, Guerneville - $244,950
1 bed, 1 bath, 428 square feet. Year built: 1930.Exterior. (Photo courtesy of Barbagelata Real Estate)
There's no shortage of trees in Guerneville - as you can see - and this litte cabin could be used either as a summer retreat, or a year-round residence. At 428 square feet, it would be a close fit for a family, but it also wouldn't require a whole lot of wood to heat the entire house. Click to see what's being used...

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Fireplace. (Photo courtesy of Barbagelata Real Estate)
I see a trend towards the wood burning stoves, as opposed to a traditional, open fireplace...and it actually makes a lot of sense, especially in a place as wooded as Guerneville. Burning anything inside the house needs to be done carefully, especially of you have an open area (sparks, etc.), and this stove will keep the flames contained, while still heating the house. Scroll to head to Sebastopol...

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10149 Occidental Road, Sebastopol - $799,0002 beds, 1 bath, 1,398 square feet. Year built: 1970.Exterior. (Photo courtesy of Terra Firma Global Partners)If you wanted a house out in the woods, here it is - the bonus is that it's also creekside and includes a garage workshop. Hiking, gardening, and working on projects can all be done here. But, we want to see how to keep warm in the winter - click to check out the fireplace...

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Fireplace.
...and it's another wood stove. However, just like the Guerneville house, this may be a far better choice than a traditional fireplace. Scroll to see the next property...

Fireplace. (Photo courtesy of W Real Estate)
This is a wood burning fireplace, and the best thing about it is a full grate on the front to keep wayward sparks inside, and small, wandering hands out. Scroll to move on to the next property...

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35223 Wind Song Ln, The Sea Ranch - $685,0002 beds, 2 baths, 1,940 square feet. Year built: 1984.Exterior. (Photo courtesy of Sotheby's International Realty)If you spend time on the coast, you know it gets cold (also, foggy). Especially in a formidable house such as this. Click to find out how to keep warm, seaside...

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Fireplace. (Photo courtesy of Sotheby's International Realty)
Another wood burning stove, but this one looks just right in the spacious living room. Scroll to see another property, this time more inland...

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500 Adrienne Dr, Petaluma - $575,0003 beds 2 baths 1,137 square feet. Year built: 1959.Exterior. (Photo courtesy of Coldwell Banker)This 1960s house in Petaluma is on a large corner lot, and is complete with the original wood burning fireplace (no wood stoves here). Click to see if this house is up to your fireplace standards...

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Fireplace. (Photo courtesy of Coldwell Banker)
If late 50s, early 1960s dinner parties - or cocktail hour - is your thing, the fireplace in this living room makes a good winter 'theme party' backdrop.

When searching for a house, potential homebuyers have a lot of big considerations – like city, neighborhood, school system; and then there are the small ones – like a big backyard, a pool, or a fireplace.

But home buyers can get worn out by the process of looking for ‘just the right house’, and who can blame them? Buying a house is a huge step, so it’s no surprise that some of the ‘small’ things get overlooked.

With that in mind, winter is fast approaching (though the sunny afternoons may make this seem impossible), and the days will start getting chilly; a great extra to have in the home when the temperature starts to drop is a fireplace. I suggest wood burning to help keep utility costs down, though there are always the ‘Spare the Air’ days to consider. But, if you think that a crackling log in the fireplace this winter is for you, scroll through the gallery to see 8 houses listed now that have wood burning fireplaces…